Fuel supply indicator for refrigerators



Feb. 20, 1934. M, R s 1,948,447

FUEL SUPPLY INDICATOR FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed July 20, 1932 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 20, 1934. RESEK 1,948,447

FUEL SUPPLY INDICATOR FOR REFRIGERATORS Filed July 20, 1932 3Sheets-Sheet 3 EACH 5 HANG FURY FILL 29 I SHELFE oFmL suowm REFRIC-LINE/1T5 ERATOR LIGHTING TIME FULL 1 v REFRIG] BOTTLE? 26. ERRTIO g uuflZONE mm" Patented Feb. 20, 1934 "UNITED STATES FUEL SUPPLY INDICATOR FORREFRIGERATORS Marc Resek, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor toPerfection Stove Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application July 20, 1932. Serial No. 623,562

10 Claims.

This invention relates to intermittent absorp tion refrigerators of theclass in which the generator is heated by means requiring the supplyingof a heating medium thereto at given intervals of time, according to aprescribed schedule of operation. For example, the generator may beheated by a liquid fuel combustion device that is supplied on theoccasions of filling and lighting with just enough fuel to sustain aso-called heat- 10 ing-period by which a cycle of operation isinitiated, the fire going out when the fuel supply is exhausted;wherefore, excepting for the filling and lighting performances orequivalent manual operation, the action of the apparatus is auto- 1matic.

Broadly, the invention consists of means for indicating according to thecondition of the cooling unit or the temperature of the refrigerationcompartment at the conclusion of a cycle of op- 2 eration the heat orfuel requirement for the subsequent heating period. By virtue of theinvention, as will be readily seen, chilling of the refrigerationcompartment to too low a temperature may be avoided, and theconsequential liability of injury to food stuffs prevented.

The invention may-be said to have as its primary purpose the provisionof reliable means for informing an attendant of a refrigerator of theabove mentioned class as to the amount of heat or quantity of liquidfuel needed on the occasions of starting or' filling and lighting inorder to maintain a satisfactory refrigeration temperature.

Other objects are to provide means of the above character that is simpleand inexpensive; whose use is especially convenient, and the manner ofwhich use is readily apparent from the nature of the device.

Objects and advantages additional to the foregoing will appear as Iproceed to describe the embodiment of the invention illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings wherein Fig. 1 is a sectional front elevation of anintermittent absorption refrigerator having myi vention incorporatedtherein;. Fig. 2 is a fra entary sectional side elevation showing theliquid fuel combustion device in operative relation to the generator;Fig. 3 is a detail, partly in section, of the liquid fuel dispensingreceptacle or bottle inverted within th' fuel cup of the combustiondevice; Fig. 4 is a sectional front elevation of the thermometer thatforms a part of the invention, the same being shown considerably largerthan actual size; Fig.

5 is a vertical section through thedispensing receptacle or bottle withthe valved closure removed and in upright position as for filling, andFig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. v

The refrigerator, designated generally by the reference numeral 1,consists of a, cabinet enclosing an insulated refrigeration compartment2 and,

to one side thereof according to the present embodiment, a fiue orcombustion chamber 3. A condenser tank 4 surmounts the cabinet. Suitablysupported within the fiue or combustion chamber 3 is a vessel 5 thatserves as a generator during the heating-condensing period, and as anabsorber during the period of evaporation. 6 is a cooling unit orevaporator that is located within the upper, portion of the cabinet inheat exchanging relationto the interior of the refrigeration compartment2. A vapor delivery conduit 7 leads from the top of the vessel 5 to thebottom of a receiver 6 that forms a part of the cooling unit orevaporator 6. A portion of the conduit 7 intermediate its ends is coiledwithin the tank 4, as shown at 7 and forms a part of the condenser. Agas return conduit 8 leads from the top of the cooling unit orevaporator 6--more specifically the receive 6 thereof-to the bottomportion of the vessel 5. A liquid return tube 9, such as thatconstituting the subject matter of United States Letters Patent No.1,816,975, dated August 4, 1931, leads from a low point or sump in thecooling unit or evaporator 6 to an elevation within the vessel 5 wellbelow the maximum liquid level therein.

Supported within the flue or chamber 3 below the generator 5 (preferablyin such manner that it may be slid in and out, and removed if desired)is a liquid fuel combustion device designated generally by the referencenumeral 10. Briefly, this device consists of burners 11 thatcommunicate, through a pipe 12, with a supply cup 13 into which adispensing receptacle or bottle 14 is adapted tobe inserted downwardly.in inverted position. This receptacle or bottle has a neck 15, thatserves as a filling, as well as a 'discharge, opening, to which aclosure 16 is applied, the same being equipped with a valve 1'7 that isbiased toward closed position by a spring 18, interposed between anabutment 19 on the stem 20 of the valve and an opposed portion of theclosure 16. As will be readily seen from Fig. 3, when the receptacle orbottle 14 is supported in inverted position within the cup 13 by theengagement of a circumferential shoulder 21 of the receptacle with therim of the cup, the stem 20 of the valve 17 will engage the bottom ofthe cup and lift the valve off its seat 22 that surrounds the dischargeopening of the closure. A shield 23, shown as carried by the pipe 12, isdisposed between the cup 13 and the adjacent burner 11.

25 is a thermometer that is adapted to be placed within therefrigeration compartment 2. While this'thermometer may be of anyapproved type, the one herein disclosed which I find especially suitablefor the purpose comprises the usual glass tube 26, containing a suitablycolored liquid 2'7, and attached to a back 28 by clips 29. Thisstructure, interposed between cushions 30, is enclosed within aglassreceptacle 31, fitted with a cap 32 that is equipped with a suspendingmeans or hook 33, The back 28, according to the present embodiment,bears the following instructions: Each day fill bottle with amount ofoil shown by red line at lighting time, and the indicia: Full bottle;Full, and Full. In the region of the 4 and Full indications is thedesignation Refrigeration zone.

returned to its operative position.

The thermometer may be suspended by means of the hook 33 from one of theshelves 40 in the refrigeration compartment 2.

Referring again to the dispensing receptacle or bottle 14, especially asillustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, attention is called to a liquid levelgauge or indicator 35 that is located on the inside of the receptacleand includes steps 36 and 37. On the latter, as will be seen byreference to Fig. 6, is the designation and on the former, Thesecorrespond to the like designations on the thermometer. In themanufacture of the receptacle 14, the liquid level gauge or indicator35, shown in the present instance as formed from a piece or strip ofrelatively thin metal, is spot welded or otherwise secured to the innerSide of the peripheral wall of one of the sheet metal shells or sectionsfrom which the receptacle is made, before said sections are attachedtogether as by a seam 38. The gauge or indicator is so located as to beeasily observed through the relatively large neck 15 that is suitablyattached to the Wall of the receptacle in register with an opening,therein. sembly, the receptacle is thoroughly tinned according to mypresent preference.

Before describing the operation of the apparatus, it may be explainedbriefiy that the system, comprising the vessel 5, cooling unit 6, andconduits 7, 8 and 9, is hermetically sealed and contains a suitablequantity of refrigerant liquor, the same consisting of a refrigerant,such as ammonia, and an absorbent therefor, such as water, in properproportions. At the beginning of the cycle of operation, all orpractically all of the liquor is in the vessel 5. Preparatory tostarting the operation, the receptacle or bottle 14 is sup- .plied witha suitable quantity of liquid fuel, such as kerosene, and it is thenplaced, in inverted position, within the cup 13, the combustion devicepreferably being withdrawn from beneath the vessel 5 at this time. Theburners 11 are then lighted and the combustion device is Upon heat beingthus supplied thereto, the liquid within the vessel 5 boils and theresultant vapors, rising through the conduit '7, are liquefied in thecondenser 4 and gravitate to the cooling unit or evaporator 6. By thetimeithe fuel sup ply..is exhausted, a charge of refrigerant,-sufficientto maintain the desired temperature in the compartment 2 until thesubsequent lighting time, has been distilled over into the cooling unitor evaporator 6.

As is well known to those familiar with the subject, the pressure withinthe system is quite high After asis returned to the generator throughthe tube 9 according to the principle set forth in the patenthereinbefore referred to.

While, under the average run of conditions, as in summer heat, it isnecessary to completely fill the dispensing receptacle or bottle 14,withfuel in order to insure proper refrigeration until the subsequentlighting time, there are circumstances under which such a supply of fuelwould be too great and would result in too low a temperature in the-'refrigeration compartment, such as would freeze liquids and be liableto spoil vegetables and other food stuffs. For example, thesecircumstances would exist if the refrigerator were subjected torelatively low. atmospheric temperatures.

Now by referring to the thermometer 25, which.

is suspended within the refrigeration compartment, the proper amount offuel to be placed in the dispensing receptacle or bottle in order tomaintain a proper temperature in said compartment may be immediatelyascertained. If, for example, the temperature of the refrigerationcompartment is 'suificiently low to cause the indicating line of thethermometer to be opposite the designation Full, the attendant poursfuel into the receptacle or bpttle until the level reaches theindication therein. With this reduced amount of fuel, the combustiondevice will burn for a lesser length of time than it ordinariliy doesand a correspondingly less amount of refrigerant will be distilled overinto the cooling unit. This lesser charge of refrigerant will result inreduced refrigeration which will allow the temperature of therefrigeration compartment to rise somewhat, and by supplying oil to thecombustion device in accordance with the indications of the thermometer,the temperature may be maintained within the desired refrigeration zone.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an intermittent absorption refrigerator involving,heati ng meansrequiring the supplying of the heating medium thereto atpredeterminedlintervals of time according to a prescribed schedule, suchintervals marking the beginnings of the cycles of operation; meanssubjected to and influenced by the condition of the cooling unit forindicating at the conclusion of one cycle the heating mediumrequirements of said heating means for the ensuing cycle.

2. In an intermittent absorption refrigerator involving heating meansrequiring the supplying of the heating medium thereto at predeterminedintervals of time according to a prescribed schedule, such intervalsmarking the beginnings of the cycles of operation; a member bearingindicia as to heating medium requirements under various conditions ofthe cooling unit, and thermal means associated with said member andsubjected to and influenced by the temperature of the refrigerator forindicating, at the conclusion of a cycle of operation, on said memberthe heating medium requirements of said heating means for the ensuingcycle.

3. In an intermittent absorption refrigerator fired by a combustiondevice requiring the supplying of fuel thereto at predeterminedintervals of time, according to a prescribed schedule, incident to thestarting of the cycles of operation; means subjected to and influencedby the condition of the cooling unit for indicating at the conclusion ofone cycle the fuel requirements of said combustion device for theensuing cycle.

plying of fuel thereto at predetermined inter-,

vals of time, according to a prescribed schedule, incident to thestarting of the cycles of operation; a member bearing indicia as to tnefuel requirements of said combustion device under various conditions ofthe refrigerator, and thermal means associated with said member andsubjected to and influenced by the temperature of the refrigerator, forindicating, at the conclusion of a cycle of operation, on said memberthe fuel requirements of said device for the ensuing cycle.

5. In an intermittent absorption refrigerator fired by a liquid fuelcombustion device requiring fuel replenishing and lighting atpredetermined intervals of time, according to a prescribed schedule, forstarting the cycles of operation;

means subjected to and influenced by the temperature of. therefrigerator for indicating at the conclusion of one cycle the fuelrequirements of said combustion device for the ensuing cycle.

'6. In an intermittent absorption refrigerator fired by a combustiondevice requiring the supplying of fuel thereto at predeterminedintervals of time, according to a prescribed schedule, inci- -dent tothe starting of the cycle of operation;

thermo-sensitive means actuated by the temperature of the refrigeratorfor indicating at the conclusion of a cycle of operation the approximate fuel requirements of said combustion device for the ensuing cycle.

7. In an intermittent absorption refrigerator fired by a liquid fuelcombustion device and including a dispensing receptacle for supplyingfuel to said device in quantity suflicient only for the heating .periodof a cycle of operation; thermosensitive means actuated by thetemperature of the refrigeration compartment for indicating at theconclusion of a cycle of operation the approximate amount of fuel to beplaced in the dispensing receptacle for maintaining the subsequentheating period. i

8. The combination with a refrigerator of the type having cycles ofoperation and requiring fuel for a heating medium, of a thermalindicator in the refrigerator and subjected to the temperature thereofand provided with indicia related to the amount of fuel to be used in acertain cycle and determined by the temperature in the refrigerator atthe end of the preceding cycle.

9. The combination with a refrigerator of the type requiringfuel for aheating medium, of a thermal indicator in the refrigerator and subjectedto the temperature thereof and provided with means actuated by saidtemperature for indicating the amount of fuel proper for producing adesired temperature.

10. The combination with a refrigerator of the type requiring fuel fora. heating medium, of a thermal indicator in the refrigerator andsubjected to the temperature thereof and provided with means actuated bythe temperature in the refrigerator for indicating the amount of 'fuelproper for producing a desired temperature in a succeeding cycle.

MARC RESEK.

